- Two police officers are among seven people who have died in a crash involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat.
- The police statement says the Volkswagen Passat was travelling the wrong way along the A66 and collided with the police vehicle travelling in the right direction; five members of the public in the Passat were also killed.
- Cleveland Police's Chief Constable Victoria Fuller issued a full statement following the deaths of seven people including two police officers.
- Chief Constable Fuller expressed that thoughts are with the families and that no one should leave home and not return safely, including police officers.
- The Chief Constable noted the incident will be felt across Cleveland and the entire policing family, and that specialist support is being provided to all families.
Seven people, including two police officers, died in a tragic crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough shortly after 03:30 BST on Saturday. The incident involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat, which was traveling the wrong way.123
According to the North East Ambulance Service, 14 ambulance resources were dispatched to the scene. Chief Constable Victoria Fuller expressed her condolences, stating, “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families of everyone involved in today’s incident.” She emphasized that “no one should leave their home and not return safely,”
The crash resulted in the deaths of five members of the public in the Passat, which collided with the police vehicle that was traveling correctly on the road. Fuller noted that this “tragic incident will be felt across Cleveland, within our communities and throughout the entire policing family.” The investigation has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard procedure when a death occurs following police contact. Cleveland Police will fully cooperate with the investigation.
This incident has raised concerns about road safety and the dangers faced by emergency responders, as the community mourns the loss of lives in this devastating event.
“The Volkswagen Passat was travelling the wrong way on the A66 when it collided with the police vehicle, killing five members of the public in the Passat. Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said the incident 'will be felt across Cleveland' and that specialist support is being provided to all families.”
